Category Self Image & Branding

When people talk to each other during a typical day, the conversation need not necessarily be meaningful. This kind of chatting is for social purposes, what we disparagingly refer to as ‘small talk.’ For example, saying ‘hello’ on the phone, telling someone to have a nice day, enquiring about someone’s health or even talking about the weather. These clichéd phrases and ice-breakers are instances of phatic communication.

Phatic communication can be verbal or non-verbal. Non-verbal examples include a simple wave, a thumbs-up signal, a handshake, or a pat on the back.

We may call it small talk. Some people dislike it while others simply cannot do without it! However, phatic communication is important if we want to keep our social connections alive and ticking.

Sociologists say that small talk, such as remarking on the weather, can lead to more significant communication. Very few people start and end conversations with straight facts. Some kind of phatic communication such as a ‘hi’ or a smile, or even a passing comment prepares the stage.

The social media platforms available on the Internet are perfect examples of phatic communication where participants are strangers and need not be knowledgeable to take part in an ongoing chat. In the office setting, Co-workers have water cooler conversations or tea break banter.

Picture Credit: Google 

Water crisis, stigma around menstruation, gender bias, looming climate disaster… the world they inhabit throws several challenges their way. But with a mind full of ideas and focus, and a heart full of compassion, courage, and commitment, teenagers set out to better our world. In the process, they shatter the myth that one’s gender and age are crucial for creating a positive social impact. Here are eight stories of change from across our country…

Licypriya Kangujam, Manipur

Focus area: Environment and climate change

Hailed as one of the youngest climate activists in the world, Licypriya Kangujam has been fighting for a greener planet since she was six. An 11-year-old today, she has been seeking “new laws to curb India’s high pollution levels and wants climate change lessons to be mandatory in schools”.

Licypriya says her activism was kindled when she attended a UN disaster conference in Mongolia with her father. She has showcased a (symbolic) device called SUKIFU (Survival Kit for the future), with details of SUKIFU-2 (to “make water from air. It runs purely on solar power”) shared on social media just a few months ago. While she steadfastly refuses to engage with the sobriquet “Greta (Thunberg) of India”, she certainly seems to share the Swedish climate activist’s iconic spunk-in 2020, when the Indian government mentioned her on Twitter for International Women’s Day with the hashtag #sheinspiresUs, she expressed her thanks for the honour but not before saying “Please don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen to my voice”. The pre-teen courted controversy when a few netizens pointed out that her claims about some of her awards and speeches were false. She termed these allegation baseless, and continues to focus on what is clearly close to her heart- climate activism.

Sagarika Deka, Assam

Focus areas: Gender equality, menstrual hygiene, body positivity, mental health, environment

A feminist and slam poet, teenager Sagarika Deka was deeply Atroubled learning about the trauma women suffered during the Rohingya crisis that unfolded in Myanmar a few years ago. She channelled her concerns through her poems, social media posts, and open mic performances. The encouraging response she received nudged her to find a larger way to create a world that’s equal-in 2020, as an 18-year-old, she set up Maan Ki Umeed, a non-profit. Focussing on children’s issues and women’s empowerment, its focal areas have been “empowerment, employment, education, and service. Among the projects that are part of the non-profit are those to enrol less privileged children in primary schools and also integrate discussions around menstrual hygiene as part of school curriculum. Through her non-profit, Sagarika uses the power of conversations on “gender equality, menstrual hygiene, body positivity, mental health, environment” etc. in her quest to create a better world. Over the last two years, the number of members of her non-profit grown, and so has its initiatives-helping less privileged women find jobs, set up small businesses, or teach them handicraft, calling for the need to provide sanitary pads to women during natural disasters, etc.

Swara Patel, Maharashtra

Focus areas: Menstrual education and hygiene

On May 28, 2019, 16-year-old Swara Patel set up the The Period Society – it was just the right day for the non-profit to take off because it was World Menstrual Health Day. Since her first period, Swara has had access to products for menstrual hygiene. Sadly though, along with access came taboos too- from her own family of healthcare professionals such as being disallowed to visit temples while menstruating. Gradually, Swara discovered that many women faced not just taboos but also lacked access to menstrual education and hygiene products such as sanitary pads. The Period Society was the result of her concerns on period poverty. What started off in Mumbai has chapters today across the globe, including in the U.K. and the U.S. The Society has hundreds of members (and growing!) conducting menstrual health education sessions (including virtual ones), and eco-friendly sanitary pad distribution camps. Through her organisation Swara hopes to create a platform for stigma-shattering conversations around not just menstruation but also sexual and reproductive health and gender inclusivity.

Anushka Prakash, Uttarakhand

Focus areas: Rural empowerment through education

Even as the pandemic raged on, 16-year-old Anushka Prakash Even continued her education, thanks to online classes. But she realised not everyone was as fortunate. It disturbed her that several students out there in rural areas had to discontinue their education as schools had shut. She decided that won’t do, and Project Prakash came about. This online platform offers free access to resources (in both English and Hindi) on various subjects, in addition to online lectures and classes from many international universities. It also provides videos on career options so students can understand the choices available to them before making a decision based on their interests and passion. Aware of the strong impact that education and technology can together create, Anushka feels those who are privileged can help empower others by using the two judiciously.

Ananya Kamboj. Punjab

Focus areas: Leadership, empowerment, friendship, and self-awareness through sports

A football player at school and at a local club, Ananya Kamboj A sees it as more than just a sport-a tool to form and strengthen friendships. And so it seems fitting that as a 13-year-old in 2017, when she wrote an essay on how football fosters friendship, she was selected to represent India as a young journalist at the Football for Friendship programme in Russia. That opportunity reinforced her faith in what sports can do, and resulted in a book detailing her experiences. Not just that. It also led her to set up Sports to Lead, a recent initiative offering several programmes that use the power of sports to empower young people. One of them is the ‘Be You’ programme. “designed for young women, empowering them to move forward in life by developing self-awareness, healthy relationships and communication and leadership skills”.

Ridhima Pandey, Uttarakhand

Focus areas: Government and citizen action for a better world

As a five-year-old in 2013, Ridhima Pandey witnessed Ajinthand her state of first-hand in her State what the fury of floods could leave in its wake-claim hundreds of lives and leave countless homeless. In 2017, an upset Ridhima, aged nine, filed a complaint against the government with the National Green Tribunal. Also one of the young activists to file a lawsuit in the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child, she feels strongly about the need “to save the future of all the children and all people of future generations”. Despite India being vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change, she asserts the government is not doing enough to tackle it. Distressed by inaction on several fronts – from the extensive use of fossil fuels to improper garbage disposal methods and the rampant use of plastics, she suggests that while the government must take proactive steps we as citizens should be mindful as consumers too.

Hina Saifi, Uttar Pradesh

Focus areas: Awareness on pollution and solar energy

Only a few years ago, Hina Saifi was still a teenager when she discovered that the high pollution levels in her village in Meerut were inversely proportional to people’s environmental awareness levels. A strong believer in the power of education, she understood that when people adopt a climate friendly lifestyle, our planet’s health will improve dramatically. What followed was door-to-door campaigns, surveys, pamphlet distribution, and events such as ‘March for Clean Air. She also launched her Suraj Se Samriddhi’ campaign to raise awareness on the benefits of solar power through solar pumps, rooftop solar installations, etc. She is now part of an NGO that works with marginalised communities to focus on areas such as education, gender, and labour rights. Her steadfast pursuit for change through awareness campaigns has been noticed internationally – in 2021, she was one of the 17 climate change leaders who were the face of United Nations India’s new campaign #WeTheChangeNow.

Garvita Gulhati, Karnataka

Focus areas: Water management and conservation

As a 15-year-old, Garvita Gulhati was troubled by India’s water crisis in 2015. It upset her further that every year we waste 14 million litres simply by leaving behind water in our glasses at restaurants. So upset that she decided to do something about it, and Why Waste? was born. One of this initiative’s projects was #GlassHalffull. The pilot project worked with several restaurants to help avoid water being wasted in glasses at restaurants. Since it began, the project is said to have prevented the waste of at least six million litres of water. Today, Why Waste? is also an app that allows each individual to calculate their “water footprint and help them save 100 litres each day with just a bit of planning and thought. A strong believer in little drops making the mighty ocean, Garvita says such small acts locally will have a great impact globally. Aware of the role children have in any social change, she feels water management must be taught at schools. Recipient of the prestigious Diana Award, this India’s Water Girl’ was in Forbes’ list of 30 Under 30.

Picture Credit : Google 

“Think science, develop a scientific temperament.” That’s what Dr. A.PJ. Abdul Kalam said. Here are 10 easy steps to sharpen your scientific temper and bring about significant changes in the way you pursue science.

1. Ask questions: Politely, but enthusiastically. Elders love to answer questions on scientific happenings. Ask: Why can’t human beings fly like birds? Why do I breathe out smoke when it’s cold? What is God particle and how will it affect us? Will Artificial Intelligence make me a dud? The greatest inventions/discoveries were made when someone wondered about something. British engineer George Stevenson asked himself. “What makes the kettle lid jump when the water boils?” And the steam engine was born. Can’t find anyone to answer your questions? Check out books in the library. You are sure to find a lot more than you asked for!
2. Be curious: Wherever you are, whatever you are doing. When you are walking, check out bugs on the road, on the trees, check out the odd-looking stone. Inside a building, see how it is built, observe the pictures on the walls. If you are on a beach, watch how many birds have built nests on those leaf-less trees. Ask fisherfolk how they stand steady on a boat riding waves. Wonder why the sun goes orange at twilight. Take pictures and do your research for answers. Curious people never get bored. The world around is full of fascinating things.
3. Read: Books on inventions, discoveries. Read life stories of the greatest scientists. In ancient India, Sushruta could do 300 surgical procedures. He knew how to stitch up wounds. In 1633, Galileo was tried for saying the Earth moves around the Sun: he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Edison’s lab, a bam, burned down but that didn’t stop him from patenting 1.000-odd inventions, including motion picture, electric bulb, and sound recording. Find fascinating facts about the invention of the ballpoint pen by Ladislas Biro and his brother George in the 1930s. How did Charles Babbage change the world? What were this year’s Nobel Prize winners awarded for?
4. Try to solve problems:  “How do I fix this?” should be your constant mantra. You could start with your everyday problems. How do you ensure that your clothes for school are ready in the morning? How do you fit instruments in your box? How do you keep the phone charged? What do you do if your room is swarming with ants? Fixing these efficiently is a pointer to your scientific thinking. Don’t you calculate the pressure you exert to kick the ball into the goal post or to whack a six in cricket? Have you noticed how Roger Federer’s service hits the ground at impossible angles?
5. Scientists are never sloppy in their work: Whether it is homework, lab work, sports, projects, or money-spending, keep neat records. Notes of great scientists have helped those who followed them in the work. “If have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” said Isaac Newton. Quickly make a note of what you have finished, what you need to do, what is left undone-on a notebook or key it into a computer. Neatly recorded information becomes crucial for re-checking of facts, writing reports, etc. The steps in the method help you prove your answer. You can compare prices over a period of time, measure your success in sports. Records of one project may help you start another. Have you noticed how easy it is to make lab records if you have written down the results of your experiments immediately, neatly?
6. Make experimenting a habit:  Remember, different problems have different reasons, different solutions. Do not jump to conclusions. Look at a problem from all angles, everyone’s point of view. If your bicycle isn’t running smoothly, is it the old tyre? Lack of grease? Bad handle bars? Height of the seat? Think of different possibilities. Try out ideas. Mix colours and shapes for new results. Try different notes if you play an instrument. Use different pitches and modulate your voice if you’re on stage. Experiment with different programmes on the computer. Be hands-on. It is possible the answers are different when you change an experiment, so you may have to redo the experiment to compare the answers.
7. Lean Learn about steps and processes:  First, ask a question to identify a problem. What type of food do cats like the best? Then learn everything about the question-collecting data is an essential part of the scientific method. Research, ask those who have cats. Speak to a vet. Check out information online. Read books on cats. What have other scientists done about it? Based on the research, make a prediction. Which food will your cat like? Now move to the experiment stage. You can create an experiment in a lab or by going outside and measuring something as proof. In the case of the cat, give it the foods that you have researched on. Write down the results. What did you find? Finally, share your inference. What do others think? This is called peer review.
8. A true scientific mind asks for- and gives- evidence: See that your answers are backed by proof. In fact, this works in all that you do. When you write an essay, make sure your ideas/ arguments are supported by examples, statistics, reports, studies, etc. Put down steps that clearly show that your answer is accurate. When the MET office says we had 45% rains, how do they know it? What is the basis for such conclusions? If you say your neighbourhood is filled with garbage, can you prove it? Do you have photographs? Have you seen people throwing garbage in street corners? Have you checked with the municipality about the weight of the garbage? Make statements/complaints based on provable data.
9. Stay calm: Keeping emotions such as anger and frustration out and thinking calmly is what the scientific temper is all about. It helps to avoid emotional responses. Instead of getting angry about some school rules, why don’t you ask why they are there? Why is that important experiment in the chemistry lab not producing results? Close your eyes for a few seconds and breathe deeply. Then go through the steps again. Did you follow them meticulously?
10.  Believe:  Have faith that your sharp powers of observation and deduction will help you solve problems. Yeah, sure, experiments fail. There may be setbacks. That should not make us lose heart and abandon the project. Improve the steps you follow. Read up and research more, consult others – but never give up. Do you know how much work went into discovering the X-ray? Read about Wilhelm Roentgen, the scientist. Faith leads to persistence, and with that comes success.

Picture Credit : Google 

Active listening is the process of listening attentively to a speaker. It involves the listener’s participation in the form of questions and paraphrases, with total focus on what the speaker has to say. Tell-Tale signs of active listening are appropriate body language, facial expression, good eye contact and statements that reflect understanding.

Becoming an active listener involves demonstrating that you are listening. In a classroom for instance, you will find some active listeners who engage with the teacher by seeking clarifications: few who are partly listening: some who appear to listen but are in fact thinking of entirely different things: and others who have completely shut off and are probably dozing off! Similarly, children are often put off by teachers and elders who do not actively listen to what they have to say. Poor listeners are a huge turn off to any speaker. On the other hand, demonstration of attentiveness can help develop good relationships between individuals, appreciation of another point of view and knowledge building.

The most common tell-tale signs of active listening are appropriate body language, facial expression, good eye contact and statements that reflect understanding.

With constant practice, it is easy to make ‘active listening’ a habit. Here are some tips:

• Practise within the family and with friends on a daily basis.
• Look directly at the person talking and suspend all other things in the mind.
• Listen carefully to the speaker’s words and try to develop a feel for the subject of the talk.
• Be sincere in your attention and respond with affirmative statements.
• Stop the urge to talk and state your personal views only after listening to what the other person has to say.

Picture Credit : Google